Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Cindy, I think I did have enough room around my top air vent, but it is too late now to work it unless I remove the whole assembly, including the sealant. I have no leaks now, so I do not want to disturb it. Wish I have considered this need last year.

Now the only option that appeals to me is to do something similar to what MtnDon did, except maybe put the entrance hole high in the back of the CT. I like those marine hole covers filled with silicone or maybe a marine plug set.

lrrowe wrote:That is an idea. Going to try and keep the sides clean, but this one would work. What is the stain on the side coming from?

The manufacturer built the roof racks but the welding was less than stellar. The stains are rust stains from pinholes in the welds......had to seal with silicon caulk....

MtnDon,

Love your build and learned a lot from it.

Waiting for our 6x14 flat nose LARK to be built in McGregor, TX. We'll be going up there to pick it up. Would you advice any thing We need to check before leaving the factory?

Again, Thanks for your help.

Hader wrote:MtnDon,
Love your build and learned a lot from it.
Waiting for our 6x14 flat nose LARK to be built in McGregor, TX. We'll be going up there to pick it up. Would you advice any thing We need to check before leaving the factory?
Again, Thanks for your help.

When I picked My 6x12 up from the factory, I asked if they had any scratch and dent windows laying around. They checked and came back with a couple 22x30s and gave me a hella good deal on them.

MtnDon wrote:
We have an update.



This is a view looking under the counter space to be. The switch is for the RV water pump. Plumbing is Pex. The shut off above the switch is the valve for recirculating hot water back to the fresh water tank. The idea is conservation of water; It's not a long run from the water heater to the faucet, about 12 feet more or less, but rather than waste the cold slug that comes before the hot, we can send it back to the fresh water tank.

Hey Don,
A question if you'll answer it pertaining to your recirculating line. Did you just tie it back in to the gravity feed line just before it enters your tank? And the valve is just a way to open and then stop the flow once you have warm/hot water at your faucet?
I'm looking at following your example and just want to make sure I understand what your doing.

Thanks,
Martin

Yes, the water is returned to the non pressurized, gravity flow filler pipe.

Also, yes the bypass valve simply allows warm/hot water to reach that point. Once you shut that flow off there is just a short slug of cold water before warmed water comes out the faucet. Works well for us.

MtnDon wrote:Yes, the water is returned to the non pressurized, gravity flow filler pipe.

Also, yes the bypass valve simply allows warm/hot water to reach that point. Once you shut that flow off there is just a short slug of cold water before warmed water comes out the faucet. Works well for us.

I mimicked MtnDon's approach and did the same thing with my 10 gal tank and shower. I only use it when off the grid because that is the only time I need to conserve my water.

MtnDon wrote:Yes, the water is returned to the non pressurized, gravity flow filler pipe.

Also, yes the bypass valve simply allows warm/hot water to reach that point. Once you shut that flow off there is just a short slug of cold water before warmed water comes out the faucet. Works well for us.

Thanks Don for the quick reply. I thought that's what I was seeing and the function behind it all. Your reply came at a perfect time. I'm just finishing up my limited plumbing and still have plenty of time to add this bypass line. I won't need it often as I don't boondock much (hopefully that changes too) but once I take it to the hunting lease it'll help alot.

Thanks again,
Martin

lrrowe wrote:I mimicked MtnDon's approach and did the same thing with my 10 gal tank and shower. I only use it when off the grid because that is the only time I need to conserve my water.

It'll be the same for me. Most places I camp have water and electric hook-ups but the hunting lease, a few NFS campgrounds and atleast two ATV parks I frequent are primitive only. I've got a single 16 gallon tank but it won't last long if I don't conserve where I can.

Martin

m.colley wrote:

lrrowe wrote:I mimicked MtnDon's approach and did the same thing with my 10 gal tank and shower. I only use it when off the grid because that is the only time I need to conserve my water.

It'll be the same for me. Most places I camp have water and electric hook-ups but the hunting lease, a few NFS campgrounds and atleast two ATV parks I frequent are primitive only. I've got a single 16 gallon tank but it won't last long if I don't conserve where I can.

Martin

Agreed. My 10 gal tank can go fast, even with being stingy. Maybe I will replace it someday, or add another tank to go along with it. This another case on my part of trying to skimp on things when I should have gone bigger. No one says you have to fill it up for short trips.

lrrowe wrote:

m.colley wrote:

lrrowe wrote:I mimicked MtnDon's approach and did the same thing with my 10 gal tank and shower. I only use it when off the grid because that is the only time I need to conserve my water.

It'll be the same for me. Most places I camp have water and electric hook-ups but the hunting lease, a few NFS campgrounds and atleast two ATV parks I frequent are primitive only. I've got a single 16 gallon tank but it won't last long if I don't conserve where I can.

Martin

Agreed. My 10 gal tank can go fast, even with being stingy. Maybe I will replace it someday, or add another tank to go along with it. This another case on my part of trying to skimp on things when I should have gone bigger. No one says you have to fill it up for short trips.

Bob,
At the hunting land I could always take a IBC tote and have more water than I would ever need or take a 55 gallon plastic barrel for that matter. I even thought about a 30 gal barrel in the bed of the truck for the other places if I see the need. Most of them have water available, just not at the individual sites. I could always mount a 12V pump and run it like a city water hook up or just gravity feed it when needed.

The hunting lease has a well I could power off my generator but the power pole was taken down 10+ years ago when the old farm house on site was condemned. It has a functioning septic tank if I dig down and tie into the old sewer line. 400 acres of prime GA hunting land and I pay $350.00 a year to hunt, can't go wrong with that. Last year I pulled out more than that in fire wood alone.

Martin

I was searching for some information and happened to turn up MtDon's excellent build. I thought I would bump it so that some of the newer builders can see some of his innovative solutions. Some great ideas in here.

Thanks for the bump and the kind words. It still works, though this summers plans have been shelved because of fire danger closures in the National Forests we had planned to visit.

Come on up here Don. No fire problems this year, but some flooding. Still pretty darn nice.

McDave